Box Score
BROOKVILLE, N.Y. – The Shippensburg University football team lost its PSAC Eastern Division opener to C.W. Post, 40-22, after the Pioneers scored 21 unanswered fourth-quarter points in a back-and-forth battle on a cloudy and humid Saturday afternoon from Hickox Field.

After a tight three quarters of football, the Red Raiders (2-2, 0-1 PSAC East) watched their three-point fourth quarter lead vanish thanks to an onslaught of 21 unanswered points from the Pioneers (1-3, 1-0) that began with just over eight minutes left in the game.

Shippensburg lost the field position battle all afternoon, as its offense was unable to find the fire power that allowed it to score 122 points through its first three games, and finished with its lowest point total on the season.

Sophomore quarterback Zach Zulli was pressured in the pocket all day but found enough time to throw for 295 yards and three scores despite being sacked seven times. The SU defense was unable to contain the Pioneers' persistent rushing attack, as it allowed two 100-yard rushers, including 117 on mobile quarterback Steven Laurino's 21 carries.

A trio of Shippensburg players set career highs on offense, led by junior wide receiver Jacob Baskerville and his career-high five grabs for 117 yards. Zulli completed 23 passes on the game, the highest of his career, and junior wide receiver Taimur Harris had 54 receiving yards off of a career-best seven catches.

Senior captain Vinnie Ranauto disrupted the C.W. Post offense all day from his linebacker position, totaling a career-high 16 tackles with a half-sack and two quarterback hurries.

Senior tailback Roshaan McCain had just one carry on Saturday for three yards, but it was enough to put him at 1,000 rushing yards for his career.

For the second game in a row, the Red Raiders got off to a slow start. A third-down pass break up by redshirt freshman cornerback James Cooper deep in the end zone on the first drive of the game forced a 27-yard field goal by Pioneers kicker Marc Montana, who converted for his team's first points on an opening drive this season.

On the ensuing drive, Zulli ran nine yards for a first down into C.W. Post territory but had the ball jarred loose as he was being tackled. The Pioneers recovered and started their second consecutive drive on their own 45-yard line. A third-down sack by junior linebacker Cody Fleming stalled the drive, and Post's 37-yard field goal attempt was wide left.

SU's three drives in the first quarter ended in a lost fumble, a turnover on downs and a punt. The second quarter was much the same, as senior tailback Roshaan McCain made an excellent bobbling catch on a screen pass, but fumbled the ball after being hit. The Pioneers recovered the ball on SU's 17-yard line and punched it in on a fourth down, nine-yard touchdown run by dynamic tailback Jeff Mack, who played for the first time since the opening game of the season and finished with 163 yards on 17 carries.

The Red Raider offense finally found its rhythm on the next drive with a 47-yard touchdown pass from Zulli to a streaking Baskerville who ran by the coverage on a post route. After the Shippensburg defense forced its first three-and-out of the game, the Raider offense got into a groove and quickly drove down the field. Junior tailback Mike Frenette, who finished with 202 all-purpose yards, gave Shippensburg its first lead of the game, 14-10, with a spectacular one-handed catch on a Zulli swing pass for a 14-yard score.

Despite allowing the Pioneers to march down the length of the field at the end of the half, the Raiders came up with back-to-back big plays to head into the locker room with momentum. Ranauto, who came off the line unblocked on a blitz, forced an incomplete pass on third down at the Red Raiders' six after drilling Laurino in the backfield. Sophomore defensive end Dainen Green blocked the ensuing field goal try that junior strong safety Corey Hunt caught in the air and returned to the Shippensburg 35-yard line.

Mack added his second touchdown run of the day on a 1-yard plunge on C.W. Post's first drive of the second half. Nine minutes later, Montana added his second field goal of the game and extended the Pioneers' lead to 19-14. After starting the second half with three punts, the SU offense finally managed to put together some first downs at the end of the third quarter.

Just over a minute into the fourth period, the Red Raiders retook the lead when Zulli completed a four-yard touchdown pass to Harris who managed to find an open zone in the flat just behind the goal line. SU's two-point conversion attempt was successful, as Zulli completed a jump pass to senior captain and tight end Brian Heitz for a 22-19 lead.

The Red Raiders had all the momentum after their defense forced another missed C.W. Post field goal on the next drive. But SU lost the momentum as quickly as it had gained it, as Zulli's pass attempt two plays later was tipped at the line of scrimmage and picked off by Pioneers defensive end Andrew Jackson, who returned it to the SU 28-yard line in what was perhaps the play of the game.

Mack added another rushing score two plays later to regain the Pioneers' lead for good, and after a four-play SU drive, C.W. Post's Sean Persch returned a punt 73 yards to paydirt. Down 11 points with just under six minutes left, Shippensburg's comeback effort proved futile, as its no-huddle offense was forced to punt after Zulli was sacked on third down. A 31-yard touchdown rumble by Post's Anthony Brunetti put the nail in the coffin with 1:57 remaining.

Shippensburg will host Kutztown at 2 p.m. Saturday in the Red Raiders' homecoming game. The Golden Bears, who were picked to finish second in the PSAC East in the preseason coaches' poll, beat Cheyney, 49-0, at home on Saturday.

NOTES: The Red Raiders lost to the Pioneers for the third consecutive season, and are now 3-3 in the all-time series…Shippensburg has lost its second consecutive PSAC Eastern Division opener…True freshman tailback Blair Brooks made his season debut, gaining two yards on one carry and returning one kickoff for 21 yards… Redshirt-freshman linebacker Brian Sourber earned valuable playing time at linebacker after playing in relief of injured teammates, sophomore Chris Johnson and redshirt freshman James Brennan.